About

President's Visions and Goals

DEAR COLLEAGUES,
As we conclude another semester and look ahead to the upcoming year, I am filled with hope, pride, and anticipation. This is more than just the turning of a calendar — it is the renewal of our shared commitment to learning, opportunity, community, and the future of Kentucky’s workforce.

Each time I visit one of our more than 70 campuses across the state, I’m reminded why we do what we do. I see students juggling jobs and family responsibilities while pursuing their dreams with extraordinary determination to better their lives. They face obstacles, but they’re focused on their potential. I see faculty and staff who go above and beyond to help students along their journey and meet them where they are, providing support services as needed.

We couldn’t do what we do without the entire KCTCS team.

College is more than a place for education — our colleges are places for transformation. Each day, students who may never have considered college or who may have thought obtaining a higher education credential wasn’t a

possibility find a future at KCTCS. We’re committed to strengthening and aligning our academic and workforce training programs, deepening our partnerships, and finding new ways to support every student’s success.

As we look toward the future, I am proud to share my visions and goals that will guide the Kentucky Community and Technical College System over the

coming months. We remain focused on transforming the lives of our students and strengthening the Commonwealth through accessible, affordable, high-quality education and workforce development.

Sincerely,
Dr.Ryan Quarles, KCTCS President

Vision

Ensure the Kentucky Community and Technical College System is affordable and accessible for all students by promoting available financial aid, expanding revenue sources, and ensuring efficiency of programming.

Goals

  1. Develop a KCTCS Enrollment Strategy by continuing to address the FAFSA/student aid challenges, continuing to support the KCTCS Enrollment Collaborative, and evaluating the application to enrollment pipeline.
  2. Review and evaluate Dual Credit offerings at KCTCS.
  3. Explore alternative revenue streams and partnerships to fund student wrap-around services.
  4. Expand agreements with partner four-year institutions to increase academic benefits and expand workforce opportunities for students.
  5. Pilot scheduling methods that best allow students to plan their successful academic journeys to best suit their schedules and budgets.

vision

Align academic and education programs to career pathways that help ensure KCTCS provides an educated workforce for Kentucky and helps address workforce shortages in the state’s top industry sectors.

goals

  1. Implement the 10 Essential Skills Framework across all colleges, which will help develop soft skills and better prepare each KCTCS student to be employed in the state’s workforce.
  2. Complete a survey of prospective students, community members, and state businesses to get an updated accurate assessment of public and industry perception of KCTCS to better inform programming and partnership decisions.
  3. Implement Anthology REACH and the Workforce CRM to better serve the needs of KCTCS students in real time and to better track relationships with employer and industry partners.
  4. Explore formalizing student competitions across the system to build career skills and promote the student experience.

vision

Build on KCTCS’s statewide understanding of community needs and opportunities by establishing a collaborative, data-informed partnership initiative that aligns local entities, statewide priorities, and KCTCS programs to promote the impact of the 16 colleges and to best serve Kentucky.

Goals

  1. Launch the KCTCS for Kentucky initiative, which prioritizes the immediate and future needs of the Commonwealth.
  2. Develop an internal partnership management system, which includes metrics.

vision

Continue KCTCS’s focus of being a driving force of state economic development by strengthening existing business and industry relationships, broadening skill development and employment opportunities for students, and collaborating with state partners to address Kentucky’s workforce needs.

goals

  1. Increase the portfolio of companies served through customized workforce customized solutions, including TRAINS.
  2. Sign on more Kentucky businesses as Education First Employers.
  3. Promote FAME, Going Pro, and work and learn opportunities.
  4. Solidify a systemwide strategy to promote career development across the student journey.
  5. Review the work of the Governor’s Second Chance Task Force and develop strategies to provide skill development and elevate employers who commit to providing job opportunities to previously incarcerated and recovery communities.

vision

Create a diversified and balanced approach to revenue generation to maximize funding to benefit KCTCS students.

Goals

  1. Create clear, consistent, unified directional fundraising messaging across KCTCS.
  2. Host the KCTCS President’s first hallmark fundraising event.
  3. Leverage partnerships and community engagement to increase opportunities for revenue.

Vision

Prioritize employee benefits to increase retention and improve workplace culture.

goals

  1. Expand the KCTCS Annual Conference to include more opportunities for faculty and staff professional development, networking, and to provide the opportunity to celebrate outstanding achievements across the system.
  2. Continue the long-term strategy to provide employee compensation and benefits within a competitive total rewards structure.

vision

Establish a continuous improvement model to ensure systemwide collaboration and success.

goals

  1. Complete the 2026-2029 KCTCS Strategic Plan.
  2. Determine modern campus safety needs.
  3. Ensure compliance with all audit findings, including the ongoing Kentucky Fire Commission audit.
  4. Establish a set of metrics for determining future evaluation of college success.
  5. Develop 2026 state and federal legislative agendas.
  6. Support operations of the Kentucky Fire Commission and explore future training opportunities.